As a gardener I feel there is nothing worse than using those hollow bricks and allowing grass to grow between. Looks OK to start but then come the time to trim or cut the grass - never seem to get it low enough. Then as they settle and with the vehicles weight mud and dirt comes up and covers the bricks and in wet weather becomes a horrible mess.

Why not put 2 rows of 18 inch paving slabs down (on a suitable base) and you will then still have a strip of greenery in between and easy to keep cut, cropped and maintained.

What you say makes a lot of sense. I have considered the possibility of the tiles subsiding and the like but was heartened to see the great dirty pile of sand (literally, my cats have been crapping in it) they've dumped in there for the base.

As I say still not sure what I'll do yet. Guess that can wait till last anyways and in worst case scenario can always be changed. Thanks for the idea though.

I was curious this morning as to why only one guy had turned up. Turns out the simplest explanation is most often the correct one - only one turned up because there was only one working on my house today. Well, until about 1hr ago when another guy turned up. Anyways, I digress...

As you can see from the picture below they've now prepared the ground for what will be the floor of the carport:

The idea is that the level will be at that of the (existing) concreting for the waste tank access lids. Luckily this is also even with the floor of the current carport so even with that tiled it will only be a gap of a few cm.

You will also note the rather contented looking cat in the pic. It's delighted because its bathroom area has increased tenfold with all the sand lying around.

Here's the chang and his not-so-time-conscious mate putting the finishing touches on the bay window:

I'm really, really glad that we decided to go with this and excited to see it finished. Not too mention congratulating myself for my own brilliance in thinking of it in the first place!

Finally here's a rather boring and mundane picture of a wall:

It won't remain a boring and mundane wall for much longer however. Apparently they are going to start the process of knocking it out tomorrow. Starting with the bottom for some reason, something to do with the floors!? Anyways it should be interesting, according to the plan there will be an arch in its place.

Bet they start where the window is at the bottom of that and work outwards from there

No doubt.

This is the part I'm dreading actually. Just on the other side of that wall is my brand new 46" LCD, Home theatre, and a beareu type thing that weighs about 10,000lbs - all of which will have to be moved.

Just hope the story doesn't go like this: " ,Sorry Guv, just had a slight accident!" Looking at new large screen LCD television

Well I needn't have worried in any event. Just got back from the gym and was going to do another update but I can't as there's nothing to update. Far as I can tell the entire work day for the contractors today consisted of simply dumping stuff on my lawn, a spot of lunch, rearranging the piles of dumped stuff, and then buggering off home.

Well I needn't have worried in any event. Just got back from the gym and was going to do another update but I can't as there's nothing to update. Far as I can tell the entire work day for the contractors today consisted of simply dumping stuff on my lawn, a spot of lunch, rearranging the piles of dumped stuff, and then buggering off home.

TIT

Don't forget Sunday is voting day and Monday has now been designated a holiday!

Well I needn't have worried in any event. Just got back from the gym and was going to do another update but I can't as there's nothing to update. Far as I can tell the entire work day for the contractors today consisted of simply dumping stuff on my lawn, a spot of lunch, rearranging the piles of dumped stuff, and then buggering off home.

At least they didn't destroy anything

I've had Thai construction workers who spent half the day correcting yesterdays mistake, and the other half of the day creating new for tomorrow.

First masonary shop had exactly what we wanted. Unfortunately what they didn't have was anyway for us to pay - unless we wanted to forgoe our change because she didn't have any. After she suggested we go and get some change and return I decided to tell her not to bother and that I hoped she had more luck with future sales.

Ha, you know, that makes you feel real good to walk out on anyone doing less than their very best to sell you something, in the end it means failure because you're not making progress. Much better to smile, think TIT, and go find a 7-11-Bank-Branch to obtain change.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

This is the part I'm dreading actually. Just on the other side of that wall is my brand new 46" LCD, Home theatre, and a beareu type thing that weighs about 10,000lbs - all of which will have to be moved.

MOVE everything that'a dear to you the *(#$&(&# out of the way. Out of the room that is, upstairs, and close the doors. You won't believe how dusty it gets breaking walls.

Ha, you know, that makes you feel real good to walk out on anyone doing less than their very best to sell you something, in the end it means failure because you're not making progress. Much better to smile, think TIT, and go find a 7-11-Bank-Branch to obtain change.

Yeah, you make a very good point. In this case the whole thing was exacerbated by the store being in quite an out of the way location though. Was really just easier to get in the car and head towards town (other shops).

Originally Posted by dirtydog

^shhhs, I want to see what the inside of what one of these big tvs look like

Waahey! Some progress today... Actually it was last night. But I couldn't post it because I was having troubles with my photo upload facility for some reason. Anyways...

Started on the tiles for the carport, more or less finished that by the looks but I don't imagine the crappy weather is helping any.

The tiles:

Notice if you will the one on top, already broken. To be expected I guess. Nothing fancy here, just the same type as are already on the house.

The carport:

Next I'd imagine that they'll pour the concrete for the carport now it's relatively sheltered.

Apart from the fact I have absolutely no paitence I am starting to enjoy this a little now since any progress is more tangible (that's to say that they're not just digging holes and causing a mess in preparation etc).

Now we're talking! Pretty slow week on the construction front with not much being done - that all changed this morning however when half of Chiang Mai turned up:

Half of Chaing Mai

For some reason the electrician sent a crew of about 6 guys (with the median age of about 14yrs old - honestly, check out that guy in the background leaning up against the wall). They've been busying themselves with routing the walls/floors in preparation for the cables:

Very messy job, not too mention noisy. We buggered off to do so shopping this morning to escape from the noise and when we returned there was dust everywhere all through the house.

Here's one of the guys 'fitting' a junction/plug box with the delicate use of that multi-purpose tool the hammer:

Now one of my pet-peeves when it comes to houses/construction in Thailand is the wiring of houses. When we were house hunting and came across one with the wiring on the walls I would turn around and walk out straight away regardless of the condition of the rest of the house or the price. It just really, really, really bugs me!

Anyways, that's why I just about lost the plot when I first saw this:

Luckily my wife is neither as short tempered nor stupid as I and pointed out in her usual calm, clear and collected manner (with just a hint of: 'Sigh, I married an idiot) that the chalk line below where the junction box is demarcates the ceiling height and that the pencil marks show the line/area that they are going to rout from the wall to put the cable in.

In the meantime, the usual crew of guys have been getting on with the actual construction - as of this morning they had even started the tiling for above the bay window:

For some reason that I can't explain this is something that I've really been looking forward to. I guess because it's one of the most visible signs of progress.

They've actually progressed a lot further than this today since I took the pics - they have the skirting boards up for the carport and were just starting on the same for the bay window. Unfortunately however it's taking me an age to upload pics from my home PC for some reason. So I can't be arsed. That'll have to wait for another update.

Yes, Sompet Copperfield came around to our house and made our door disappear. Not quite as spectaculor as the Great Wall or the Statue of Liberty granted (and there was a lot more banging and concrete dust involved) but an impressive trick in its own right.

Particularly mind-boogling was how they didn't cover the wood floors inside when knocking the door and frame out and how it's now covered in large dents and gashes from heavy bits of brick and masonary falling on to it. For my next trick I think I'll make some of their profit margin disappear by insisting they fix it. Anyways magic tricks aside...

The roof (tiling) is now pretty much 95% complete on both the bay window and carport though ceilings remain to be done:

Can't say that I'm really that happy with the look of it as the tiles that form the ridge are a little too big and the effect is to make it more clunky than I would've liked. Still, not really an issue as I can either change them easily enough or just get used to it.

I'm loving more and more what the inside will be like though:

Can't wait till the 'built-in' sofa is in the bay window and I'm kicking back on it watching my 46"cher.

Also had a bit of inspiration last night... We had been intending on getting a couple of those really nice leather reclining (Lay-Z-Boy) chairs for the new lounge area. Instead I've started thinking we might get bean-bags instead. Certainly cheaper and they can be made to match the fabric of the sofa/curtains/whatever. Dunno for sure yet but we will see. Still got to work out if I should put my bar in here or leave it where it is also. Decisions, decisions...